Northwoods Rochester Honkers

Six Current and Former Honkers Selcted in the First Ten Rounds

Published on June 7, 2013 under Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Rochester Honkers News Release


(Rochester, MN)- Honkers catcher Chad Wallach (Cal State Fullerton,) who was drafted in the fifth round (142nd overall pick) of the 2013 MLB First-Year Player Draft by the Miami Marlins, became the second of six current and former members of the Rochester Honkers to be selected in the first ten rounds of the 2013 MLB First-Year Player Draft on Friday, June 7.

He followed former (2011) Honkers outfielder Tony Kemp (Vanderbilt) who was selected just five picks earlier by the Houston Astros. Pitchers Kenny Matthews (Riverside City College,) in the seventh round to the Cleveland Indians, DJ Snelten (Minnesota,) in the ninth round to the San Francisco Giants, and Cole Wiper (Oregon,) in the tenth round by the Texas Rangers, joined Wallach as current Honkers to be drafted. Former (2012) Rochester outfielder Justin Parr (Illinois) was selected in the eighth round by the Philadelphia Phillies.

Wallach, who played with the Honkers last season and is on the roster this season, hit .303 with 32 RBI in 48 games as a junior at Cal State Fullerton. Last summer, Wallach hit .303 with 26 RBI and 28 runs scored in 45 games for the Honkers. He was chosen by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 43rd round of the 2010 MLB Draft.

Kemp (Southeastern Conference) and Parr (Big Ten) each won Player of the Year in their respective conference. Kemp hit .398 with 32 stolen bases for the Commodores, while also hit .398 for the Fighting Illini in his senior season. He added six homeruns, four triples, 15 doubles, and 53 RBI in his award winning season. Last summer with the Honkers, Parr hit .370 and recorded a franchise-record 90 hits in 58 games. Both standout players were drafted on Friday for the first time in their careers.

Like Wallach, Matthews, Snelten, and Wiper have not arrived in Rochester yet, but are on the 2013 roster. Snelten has played part of each of the last two seasons with the Honkers, while Wiper and Matthews are first-time Honkers. In 14 career starts with the Honkers, Snelten has gone 2-4 while posting a 4.06 ERA. He went 5-2 with a 2.15 ERA in his junior season for the Golden Gophers. All three pitchers were drafted out of high school before attending college.

The 40-round MLB Draft will resume in the 11th round Saturday, June 8 at 12 p.m.

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